Baby's First Word
by super ario
Summary: Joey's special. Wally's figuring that out.


_A/N: Hola. :X I've been meaning to put this up here for a while. Just a totally lame idea about Wally feeling a little jealous over Joey (it's bound to happen) and sort of not feel like he's special. Y'know how older siblings can get, sometimes. After all, Joey's just a baby...babies are sort of annoying. And Wally's just coming to terms with why Joey's a big deal. You'll see._

_We just got some pictures of my little nephew, today. He is freakin' beautiful, just saying! _

_Disclaimer: Don't own KND...if I did, there'd be no such thing as Lizzie._

* * *

I don't get it.

What's so darn special about babies? They're helpless, and stupid, and can't even control their cruddy body fluids. All they ever do is cry, and make messes, and whine if you don't wipe their widdol faces off. They just lay there, with their big ol' eyes, looking around at everything, but they understand nothing. What's the deal? They stink, and spit up everywhere, and get into things they're not supposed, and yet...

...people get all googly-eyed over them.

I just don't get it.

It's always, "Joey this" or "Joey that". Oh, because he's just _so_ cute. Everyone just _loves_ him, and how he takes off his diaper and flashes everybody; and how he does his stupid little dances. Aw, he's got little feet. Aw, he just ripped out my earring. How sweet! Oh, look, he's playing with Wally's toy. That's so adorable. OH - he sneezed! Did you get it on video? _Who really cares?_ It's just a sneeze...I see no difference when _I_ sneeze. All I get is a quick, "Bless you."

But, Joey gets a, "Ooh, woops! Ya sneezed!" With a stupid little voice they use with him, "You're so silly, ain't ya? " And it's just sooo amazing, they just have to record it. Baby's first sneeze. Baby's first hiccup. Baby's first tooth. (He's got one. I've got like...a lot.)Baby's first whatever. So, his life is full of firsts. There's a first for everthing. But never a last (y'know...until you're dead). So, I see no point in freakin' out. I've been sneezing for the past ten years. Nobody's recorded _me_. Nobody's ever cared. Because, it's just a cruddy sneeze. What's the big deal?

I just don't see what everyone else does in a baby. "Aw, he's so cute. Can I hold him?" Darn strangers, always wanting to know what his name is. Well, my name's Wally, in case you were wondering. Not that it matters. It's just a name. It isn't that special.

He's not that special.

He can barely walk. I wish people would carry me around like that. I wish I could just stick my little arms up in the air and make little noises to get everyone's utmost attention. He can't even talk! All he does is "goo" and "gah" and oh, it's the most amazingest language ever! But me? When I wave my hands around and beg for my mom's attention, it's always, "Not now, dear, I'm feeding your brother." Or, "Wallabee, your mother's busy..."

Gah. And then I have to put up with babysitting.

"Wallabee, you need to watch your brother." Ugh. I'd rather just sit on him.

Totally not fair. Why do I have to babysit? Why's it my responsibility? I'm not the one who asked for him. And what if I got important things to do? "Sorry guys...can't go on the mission tonight. Gotta watch Joey." I'm on a cruddy team, for God's sake! They need me there. But, no, I'm stuck at home with this thing I'm forced to call family. And...okay, I love him, I'll admit that. But he's really not that special.

"Wahhh!" There go his cries again. I swear, if it's because he's thrown his bunny rabbit out of his crib, again, I'll kill him.

* * *

I trudged upstairs, and into the nursery with a sigh. I'm missing my show for this. "Joey...what are you cryin' about?"

He held his arms out, and made those weird monkey sounds like he usually does. Frowning, I spotted the plushy blue bunny on the carpeted floor. Again? Rolling my eyes, I reached for the fuzzy thing, and shoved it back into his hands. "There's your stupid bunny...."

But, no. He's still crying.

He unceremoniously tossed the rabbit aside, and held his arms out towards me. "What?"

"Unh!" He screeched, loudly. I carefully picked him up from his crib and held him to my side. He's getting a lot bigger, and soon I won't be able to carry him with just one arm. He doesn't need a diaper change, because Mum changed him right before she left to the store. And he can't be hungry, because he's already eaten.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked, bouncing the sobbing baby. He didn't answer me, of course. Like I said, he can't talk. His little arms wrapped around my neck, and he clung to me like a koala would to a tree.

Do I look like a tree, to you?

The brat probably misses his mum. After all, he relies on her for everything. Why couldn't she have just taken him with her? That way I could be out with my friends, fighting Father or the Delightfuls or Mr. Boss, or something.

His cries subsibed, surprisingly. Maybe he just needed a hug?

I tried to set him back in his crib, but he wouldn't let go of me. "Joey...Joe..."

Nope. The moment I propped him in there, he just started whailing again. With another sigh, I picked him right back up and held him to me, again. "Come on, Joey..." He was supposed to be napping! "Stop crying."

Of course he isn't gonna listen to me. Might as well just take him with me.

I did just that. I walked out of the nursery, with him still clinging to me like an animal. It would be so funny if we dressed him up as a koala for Halloween! But, I'm not dressing up as a tree. No sir-ee.

I made it downstairs, and sat him down next to me, on the couch. "Look, Joey. Scooby Doo!" I said, pointing to the television screen and hoping to distract him, so I could get my finger back. (He was gripping it like there was no tomorrow.) Like expected, his eyes darted over to the cartoon on the TV; but he still held onto my finger tightly. Well, at least he's quiet now...

I leaned back comfortably, and watched as Shaggy and Scooby ate a stack of sandwiches in one bite. Hmm. That reminds me...I'm feeling kind of hungry. Maybe I'll make a sandwich at the next commercial. Since....noone's gonna make it for me. I'm old enough to do things by myself. Unlike this brat, right here.

...Gotta admit, though, he looks kind of cute staring at the TV like that.

I guess he isn't so bad, when he's quiet. I just hate it when he cries. It's loud, and obnoxious, and he never stops. Besides, he's my brother...I don't want to see (or hear) him cry. He should be smilling, and happy, and whatever. Nobody likes a crying baby. Well, not me, at least. Everyone else seems to think it's cute.

Oh, commercial.

Kindly prying my finger from his tiny grip, I stood from the couch. Looks like he's going to cry again. "I'll be right back, Joey. You. Stay. Here."

Yeah, he's going to cry, again. Holding my hands up and making a 'Stay' motion, as if he were a dog, I repeated. "Stay. I'll be right back."

He reached a hand up at me, but I turned and walked out. I'm just going to make a real quick snack. But, what can I say to him? He doesn't get it. He's whining again. Not crying; whining. There's a distinct difference. Whining is a lot more annoying. It's just a bunch of "Mmmhhhmmm's" tossed together, in a never ending train. I hate it.

And, then....

...I heard something that my ears weren't used to.

"_Wa-lly_!"

Okay, sure, I've heard my name a billion times. But...

I stuck my head back into the living room, and stared at him with eyes as wide as his. "Wha..."

His arms were still up in the air, begging for something or someone to come and pick him up. I blinked, and walked over to him cautiously. "Wha...what did you just say?"

No answer. Just another bunch of whines. I reached down and picked him up off the couch, and his whining halted immediately. But...am I going crazy or something? I could've sworn he...

Nah. Couldn't have been him. It's just my imagination.

But, still...I'm having such a hard time putting him down. "Did you just say what I think you did?"

He looked back at me innocently. I'm getting my hopes up. He can't talk. He's just a stupid baby. Why do I care? It's not like it's important...It's not like I'm important. At least not to him. He doesn't understand anything. And besides, even if I did hear him correctly (which I'm sure I didn't), it's not a big deal.

I set him back on the couch, and gave him the TV remote for a distraction. "Here. Play with that..."

But as I went to walk away, the remote flew to the ground beside my foot, and I heard it again. "_Wa-lly_!"

I turned around as quick as I could, and stared at him in awe. No....no....impossible. Did he just....Did he just say what I think he did? "Joey?" I asked, coming closer to him. His arms were still flailing for me, but I merely kneeled in front of the couch, and looked him straight in the face. "Joey?"

"_Wa-lly_!"

AH. My mouth flew open, but no sound came out. He just....he just said his first word! Me! I'm his first word. Of all the hundreds of words out there, he chooses Wally to be his first. Holy...crud....this is....."JOEY!" Woops. I think I startled him.

I put a hand on each of his legs, and smiled, "Say it again."

He doesn't seem to understand.

"Come on, Joey! Say it again! Say Wally."

Nothing.

"Waaaa-lllllyyyy. " I said slowly, hoping he would repeat. "Say Wally, Joey! Say Wally!"

Nothing.

Was I imagining things again? Heck no. I heard it with my own ears! I know he said. I just know it.

With a sigh, I pushed myself off from the floor, and met his eyes for a moment. He was staring at me confused, and I was staring right back. He probably doesn't understand the significance of this. He is a baby, after all...But you know how I said it was no big deal? Yeah, well, I lied. It is a big deal. It's a huge deal.

I heard the familiar sound of keys at the door, and watched as my mum walked in, carrying a bag of groceries. She spotted us and smiled, shutting the door. "How's my two boys?" She asked, waking over and setting the brown bag on the coffee table. Joey smiled a toothy grin and reached out for her with glee. Of course, he's gonna ignore me, now.

"Mum!" I suddenly shouted. She and Joey looked at me confused, "Joey said his first word!"

"He WHAT?" She gaped, looking at him with excitement. "Is that true, Joey? Oh - what did he say?!"

"Wally." I beamed.

"He said your name?"

"He said it like three times!"

"Oh, honey, that's great!" She praised, giving Joey a quick peck on the head. She grabbed the bag of groceries with her other arm, and walked into the kitchen; me following close by. "If only I had been here to get it on tape..."

Pfft, figures.

But, I wish we got it on tape too; to prove to everyone in the entire world that ME, Wallabee Beetles, was Joey Beetles' first word.

"I'm not surprised, though." She mumbled to me, setting the baby in his highchair. I looked at her confused and sat in the chair next to him.

"What do you mean?"

"That he said your name." She looked at me, and continued, "He really loves you, ya know."

I looked back at Joey, who was watching on with curious eyes. Does he really? He's just a baby. He doesn't know how to love, does he? I mean...he hears my name all the time. Just because he knows my name, doesn't mean he really cares. He's a baby. He's too young to care....isn't he? Does it really make any difference that he said Wally before Mama or Dada?

I told myself not to care about it too much.

But, I'm having a hard time listening to myself. Of course it makes all the difference! Even I'm smart enough to know that! I know that he's a baby, but I know that he isn't dumb. I know he understands more than I really assume he does. I know he knows me, and Mum and Dad. I know he loves us. I know he's learning to care. I know this is special. I know this is a big deal. This is the first time he verbally acknowledges something (me being that something) in his life. And I'm glad I'm the one who got to see it. Nobody else did. Nobody was there. But me. It's special.

I get it now.

* * *

_A/N: Probably horribly out of character, but who really cares? I don't._

_I'm thinking of starting a collection of oneshots about Joey and Wally's relationship as they grow. I could call it...Brotherly Love. What do you think? Should I do it? It sounds like a fun time to me. :)_

_Review it ,please._


End file.
